Scars
by Audrey E.R
Summary: When Jacob gets severely, and possibly mortally injured, how is Nessie to react? Will she stand bravely by his side, or will she stay away, cowering in the darkness of her own fear? this happens a bit after my 1st nessie fanfic
1. News

"NO

**Scars**

1. News

"NO!" I gasped.

I couldn't believe what I'd just been told. Not in the soft term, I mean, I _really_ just could not bring myself to reality. I felt numb, empty. Extracted from feelings or life.

This could not be happening.

My Jacob was safe. He had to be. Safe and alive.

Not _dead._

"Sweetheart…" my mother tried, taking a few steps towards me. "I'm sure they'll do all they can." But her voice was shaking, untrusting. My mother was bad at lies.

I was swaying on the ground. My head my spinning, and my legs felt as if deprived of muscles and bones. I collapsed, trembling violently, tears suddenly pouring out of my wide open eyes. Gasping for air, I screamed louder and louder.

"NO! NO! JAKE! JAKE! JACOB!!!"

My mother and aunt tried to restrain me as I fell to the ground again and again, unable to stand.

"Nessie, darling, calm down…" I heard Rosalie whisper softly in my ear.

I yelled louder at the sound of my nickname. Jacob had made it up; I could not bear to hear it yet.

I started rocking back and forth, hugging my knees tightly around me. My curls were sticking to my wet face, my mother trying to put them back while calming me down. I felt as though a hand had gone through my chest and was tightly grasping my heart, trying to rip it out of its safe cage. My eye felt dry from staying open, yet my tears were pouring. Every piece of my body ached, burned, pulled. It was like a half of me had been pulled away.

I had to be sure. I had to know whether the man I loved was alive or dead.

I suddenly regained strength. Something in my heart made me feel that he was fine.

Hope.

I stopped my crying and stood up violently. I looked straight ahead of me, towards my bedroom window.

"Where is he?" I asked, my voice cracking,

My aunt and mother looked at each other. A strange expression was on their face. Was it…_worry?_ Fear?

"I don't think…he's not in a state I want you to see him in." Mom whispered.

I blanched, and my stomach gave a lurch. He was hurt. Badly hurt, maybe mortally wounded.

"Where is he?" I repeated, colder.

"Honey…"

"The meadow. Behind the forest, about 20 miles from here." Rosalie said, looking straight at me.

"Rose!" exclaimed my mother, shocked at this revelation. Those two were always trying to piss each other off.

"She has a perfectly good right to know! She loves him!"

I had no time for this.

I jumped out my window and ran towards the place where my heart was.


	2. Discovery

2

2. Discovery

It took me about twenty minutes to get there. I usually ran slower, but the adrenaline pulsing in my body speeded up the process. The woods made it harder for me to run, branches whipping my weaker face here and there. But it did not matter. I needed him. It was when I smelt blood that I stopped suddenly, almost at the proximity of the woods. It was raining now, a storm was coming. I continued my race.

When I arrived in the meadow, the smell was stronger. Plus, his own aroma was making it easy for me to trace him. But then I saw them. The rest of my family, bending over a lifeless shape lying in the grass. My father was near the head, my uncles were trying to make him a some sort of gurney, while my grandparents were tending to him with the basic stuff Carlisle owned. Alice was concentrating, her index fingers planted on her temples.

"Careful" I could hear them say. "Don't want that to fall off."

Fall OFF?! Panic rose in me. I suddenly saw my father turn his head my way, and horror took over his worried features. His mouth gaped open and his eyes fixed me. Of course, the rest of them soon followed his stare, all on me, with the same expression. I was too close to tears again. I had to be strong. I slowly walked forward, breathing heavily, with tears slowing falling down my cheeks.

"Go home now." I heard my father breathe, cold and firm. "I don't want you to see this."

_But I…No! I have to see him! Dad, please! _ It thought, knowing he'd hear me. I kept walking,

"Go home!" he ordered. I ignored him and got closer. He got up, fast and gracefully, but fierce and ready to drag me home if necessary.

He was covered in blood.

My eyes fixated on the scarlet liquid that stained my father's white shirt and jeans. His hands were also dripping with it. I ran forward.

So did he. He caught me midway and took my shoulders.

"Renesme Carlie Cullen. Get home to your mother now, or so help me, I will…" He did not finish his sentence, catching on to my horrified, frozen expression as I looked past his hunched shoulders.

I had gotten closer now, and could see Jacob clearly.

Much too clearly.

His entire torso was covered his deep gouges that poured blood. Some ran back across his back, I believed. One was so deep I could almost make out his rib cage beneath the blood. I could see a bullet hole in his chest. His head was full of cuts and his some of his hair had been fiercely pulled out. His lips were bleeding too, and a larger cut ran down his nose, slashing across his face in a diagonal angle. His arms looked broken, and bandaged had already been applied, though they were quickly gaining a burgundy tint as well. His right leg was intact, but his left was…

Only there because my grandfather was sewing it _back on_.

My father traced the direction of my face, and when he realized I could perfectly see Jacob, he quickly braced me against his chest, grabbed me under the armpits and knees in a sort of newlywed embrace and ran across the field back towards the house. I fainted.


	3. Guilt

3. Guilt

It was all my fault. Locked in my bedroom, I stared at that pale face in the mirror. I was so stupid. Now Jake was going to die. And I was responsible. All because of a fight. A bicker, even. Why was I so paranoid with him? Sure, other girls were swooning around him, but he was entitled to me. And then he had left the house, angry, to go for a walk and calm down.

I guess I'd just wanted some action in this perfect family I lived with. The most action to ever go on was the fighting between Rosalie and my mother. Fighting with my boyfriend…all just so I could pretend a great tragedy had fallen upon poor, perfect little Renesme. How stupid was I?

And now, that same boy was lying unconscious in his room, down the hall, plugged to all sorts of machines and not even breathing on his own.

I didn't have the strength to cry anymore. I just stared and stared. My eyes were a bit darker than my usually milk chocolate. Purple bruises had formed under my eyes, and my skin was paler. The red from my cheeks had disappeared. Even my breather was shallower, slower than usual. It had been three days.

Three days without food. Though my family tried to get me to eat, I was lifeless. Dull and empty. Dad, Alice and Grandma kept quiet. My uncles were away from the house a lot. Carlisle was almost always by Jacob's side. My mother insisted we keep Jake on life support. Rosalie still maintained that it just made it harder for me to see him suffer, and that we should shut the machines down.

I scoffed as I heard them fight about it for the fourteenth time today.

Of course it was difficult. But life without him…Imprinting wasn't something that happened at every corner. I knew that I'd never find love again if he…

I could not bear the thought. I had tried to see him. But the state he was in right now was just too much. If he…

I didn't want to remember him that way. I wanted to see him as the happy, smiling seventeen-year old he would always be. I could still see him smiling from this morning, having breakfast him front of me, with his hair messy and shaggy as it always is. I could see his perfect body, when he ran with me, racing playfully. I could remember the exact smell of his skin, between cinnamon and smoke. I could still feel the burning sensation that always came as I hugged him. I could picture his deep dark eyes, his straight nose, his round, full lips and the feeling that came with them when he kissed me. My eyes filled with tears. A sudden and great anger sprang into me. I realized I had reduced the borders of my vintage vanity set to splinters, held tight in my shut fists.

Stupid, selfish, idiotic, masochistic monster,

I rammed all of my personal belongings, makeup, photos and others off the table with a scream of anger and desperation. I launched myself at the mirror, hoping I could reduce that brainless idiot staring back at me to shreds. I detached it off the wall with such ferocity that the nail it was hung upon was pulled out as well. I threw the mirror at the wall, where it broke in dozens of pieces, and left a dent in the wall. I screamed again, falling to the floor on my knees, surrounded by a pool of glass. I heard my family outside, screaming my name, shouting for me to open the door. My father was the loudest; I supposed that he was the closest to the door, panicking. I could hear my mother calling my name softly. I let my entire body collapse against the shattered mirror that felt like feathers to me. I wanted to feel the same pain as him. It wasn't fair.

The shouts outside got louder as I gave no response to their cries. I closed my eyes. I suddenly felt a sudden gush of wind and a heard a great clatter as my family poured into my messy room. I deigned turn my head a bit, my vision blurred by the tears. My parents were both by my side, hoisting me back up. I let myself by lifted, not wanting to fight it right now. I knew they would not ask questions. At least not my parents or my Grandmother.

They knew what it was to feel like you lost a part of you.

They pulled me back on my bed. I was exhausted, and a bit hungry.

I supposed my father realized, because he asked Grandma to get a protein bar for me, and for the rest of the family to leave expect mom. Alice and Rosalie protested, in vain. Dad shoved them out while mom helped dress me in my pajamas. Dad pushed the glass away with his feet and then walked to us. Mom was holding my hand, and gently brushing my hair with her hand. Dad went sat on my covers, and looked at me.

"I'm sorry." He whispered.

I turned, surprised. It wasn't his fault.

"Maybe not, but we're not helping you get through this."

"I want to be alone."

Darn, I sounded really emo.

Dad chuckled. Mom still kept her eyes on me, humming my lullaby. I wondered whether it was to calm herself or me. Dad put his hand on her shoulder, and grabbed my still clutched fist with his other one.

"You're probably still wondering what happened…" he said to me.

I had been. But it didn't matter much to me, because all that did matter was that Jacob was dying down the hall.

Dad's features went from worry to sadness. He sighed.

"_I_ think you ought to know…"

Mom turned to him, looking concerned.

"What if she tries to...do something to them?" she asked, almost too softly for me to hear.

"I doubt it," he said. "she's in no state or mood. And even so, those freaks would only get what they deserved."

Ah, revenge. Evidently, I was in no state. Crazy me, breaking mirrors and lying alone in my room all day.

Dad regained seriousness. He looked at me seriously.

"He was attacked by a group of teenagers. Not from here, I believe. Seattle. They were visiting, on their way back home. Anyways, they were driving when they saw Jacob. At first, they did not pay attention to him, but then…well…he must have been really angered. He morphed, at the edge of the forest path, and ran into the woods. Of course, stupid teenagers thought they'd just seen a monster. So they ran after him, with knives and…"

"A gun." I finished, whispering. Dad looked devoid of emotion. Mom was looking away, towards the window.

"Idiots…thinking they could do something like that…" Dad continued.

I turned back towards him.

"Jake killed one of them?" I asked, toneless.

"No, three of them chickened out. The last one shot him in the chest. Jacob collapsed. So the boy thought he'd killed him. He ran back to his friends. I think Emmett's trying to track them down."

"Oh, that'll go well" Mom snapped.

I smirked. Grandma returned back with the food and a broom. She asked me how I felt, getting closer. I smiled gently.

"Fine." I replied.

She didn't look too pleased with my answer, but did not bother me any longer. She swept the glass off the floor, cleaned my room, helped by mom, and then walked out with a last smile. I could see Rosalie and Alice outside, still waiting avidly.

"Eat." Said my mom, shoving the bar in my face.

I groaned. She pinched my nose until I finally had to open my mouth and jammed the bar inside.

It actually made me feel better once I had food in my stomach. Dad chuckled.

With one last kiss on my forehead and a hug, he left the room. My mother still maintained her concerned look.

"Renesme (ah, this was a serious conversation. She rarely called me that.). Promise me something." She waited.

"What?" I asked.

"Promise."

"But I don't even know what you'll ask!"

"Promise me, please."

I sighed, annoyed.

"Kay. I promise."

She breathed in.

"Don't do anything if…if Jacob…"

She couldn't bring herself to it either, could she? I smiled.

"I don't think I would."

She looked at me, hopeful.

"Really? You wouldn't…try to…kill yourself?"

"No."

Even if I didn't believe that now, I would convince myself.

I wanted to.


	4. Promenade

4. Promenade

I ate now, at least a little. It was still hard for me to wake up each morning, knowing Jacob was just down the hall, needing me.

I was chickening out. I couldn't bring myself to see him. Grandpa's face still carried the same worried, concerned expression. A small frown was traced on his forehead, and the purple shadows beneath his eyes got darker and darker. He did not speak much, mostly read and read medical books. Mom kept telling me that werewolves could heal very easily. Dad nodded along every time she brought up the topic. As a special 'treat', to cheer me up, Esme, Alice and Rosalie had bought me a whole new wardrobe.

Filled with bright, shiny colors.

They also hid the rest of my darker clothes. Alice had a strange reasoning when it came to making people happier. My uncles had a different way to make me smile. A week after the accident, they took me hunting. I smiled at the idea, knowing I needed my favorite meal.

"I'll race ya!" said Emmett to me as we left the house on a dark Saturday morning. I smiled weakly up at him. A sparkle of happiness and anticipation glowed in his eyes.

I took off, at full speed. Emmett dashed after me, roaring with laughter.

"I'm gonna destroy you, kiddo!" he joked.

I heard Jasper chuckled, and soon felt that Emmett was slowing down.

"HEY! No fair!" he yelled, shocked at Jasper's action. "You can't do that! That's cheating…"

I turned back, curious. Emmett was slowing down, looking weary. Jasper was laughing, enjoying his advance in speed. Then my younger uncle turned his attention to me.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him smile.

Immediately, I felt stronger, free and happy.

I smiled fully, and leaped towards the forest. It was so nice to feel the cool wind whipping my meek and skinny body. I spread my arms away from my body and took in a deep, full breath.

The smell of wood and spring made me smile wider. I let the tears filling up my eyes from the cold air and the speed slide down my cheeks. I started to descend towards the forest. I grabbed a large branch and let myself make a full circle around it before letting go again towards the sky. I felt strong, full again. I knew it was only temporary, but I couldn't help it but rebuke the idea. I needed to let my mind wander away from Jacob. Though guilt weighted in my stomach, my heart was slowly filling with happiness from the present moment. For a few seconds, I felt like I was flying. I could hear Emmett and Jasper still fighting, climbing the trees without effort, trying to tackle each other. A new voice suddenly joined in as well.

Dad was also skipping along on this crazy, inhuman walk. He was faster, and caught up easily, climbing with ease as well. I was warmer now. As I went down once again, I took off the sweater I was wearing; Dad's overgrown cotton clue V neck. I threw it up in the air.

"Don't lose that!" I heard him call form below.

With my arm now almost bare, I gained even more speed. I did not go back up in the air, instead I chose to jump from tree to tree.

I heard Emmett cry like Tarzan, two trees to the left.

Jasper joined, followed by Dad. I could hear their different voice tones from here. Emmett was hitting high alto, which was so much different than his usual bass. Jasper's baritone was quieter, softer, and Dad's tenor was echoing through the woods.

I laughed. I loved being with those three. It was…liberating. Jasper was doing a great job taking our minds away from what was really happening

I prepared to scream along, and took in a deep breath.

I almost let myself slip through the high branches down to the ground. I caught on to one and froze. Looking back, I could see that Jasper had too. Emmett was slowing down, but Dad was still in the process of jumping on his back in a surprise attack. He bounced back off and fell on a lower branch. He looked at us, bewildered, confused. I figured that he hadn't smelt it yet; he probably wasn't bothering to breathe.

But his features went still after a mid second.

Blood was filling up the air's aroma. Fresh, warm, human blood. I could deal with it now, since what had happened in Alaska, but I was concerned for Jasper. The smell was truly overpowering. Someone must have gotten hurt badly near here. Jasper's eyes were wide and still. I started to hear running footsteps approaching.

Alice, I guessed. She must have seen something. Dad jumped up to his brother, and Emmett joined them. I sat lower, knowing I should not get too near. I still had blood in my body, and Jasper in his human hunting state was still a danger to me. Alice's voice rung up to the trees.

"Jasper, don't move, darling!"

She climbed up quickly, and stopped next to him.

"What's happened?" Dad asked, as she took Jasper in a tight hug so he wouldn't suddenly barge out towards the human.

"I…someone got attacked. By Sam and the pack. I think that it's _him_." She spit out the last word. "The one with the gun."

I froze. All happiness was left my body. Anger had taken over it.

"The one who shot Jacob?" I asked. My cold, firm tone surprised me.

Alice turned to me. She looked scared.

"I…I don't know." She lied.

I remained frozen, my jaw locked. I was ready now. I wanted to hurt him. I wanted him to feel the same pain Jake was felling now.

"Nessie, don't…" I heard Alice and Dad say at the same time.

But I couldn't concentrate on that. Led by the dense and strong fragrance, I sped towards the trees at full speed.


	5. Guidance

5. Guidance

I flew across the large trees, careful not to hit any. I could feel the presence of my father behind me, trying to restrain me, but I gained more and more speed as the perfume got heavier. I also knew that Alice and Emmett had stayed with Jasper to calm him. I had to push myself to win against Dad. He was the fastest of us, and when his mind was set…

I accelerated, descending from branch to branch towards the ground to be able to go faster still. I suddenly heard a grunt from behind and a swift change in the air.

It was as if something was falling towards me.

I allowed myself to look behind for a mid second. My father was leaping in my direction, preparing to tackle me to the ground. His face was stern and angry, scolding me. His arms were bent forward; his hands open with his fingers spread apart and bent like claws. With his messy hair flowing in the wind, he looked like a lion attacking its prey.

I leaped ten feet up just as he fell towards me. I heard the slight crash when he bumped against the wet soil covered of leaves. I did not bother to look back at him. I'd heard his angry groan from below, and I continued my crazy race towards the smell, keeping myself up in the trees this time. I had no idea where I was going, but I pursued blindly. I closed my eyes to let my smell and hearing instincts guide me. Focused, sharper images ran through my head. I started to picture the place where I believed the boy was. I saw a large hill near the sea, in La Push. I remembered it because Jake had taken me cliff diving there once or twice. I also knew it was where my mother had more or less tried to kill herself ten years ago. As I pictured the hill and the splashing waves that crashed bear it, I started to see through my closed eyelids that the light was brighter. I must have been near the end of the forest.

But I did not realize how near I really was.

I suddenly felt no more branches. I grasped at the air, startled, like a child who misses a step down the stairs. My breath was knocked out of me was I opened my eyes and, looking down, I saw the ground thirty feet below me. For a second, my human instincts expected to see my life flash before my eyes, but I knew, deep down, that I didn't risk anything, even though my heart was close to stopping. I crashed on the ground, not as gracefully as I thought I would, perhaps, but not hurt. I regained normal breath, and realized how strong the smell was now. I turned from the forest towards the smell. I saw that I had arrived at the hills. The sea spread in front of me, like a great blue barrier. And on the largest hill of all, about twenty yards away, I could distinguish four massive wolves retreating towards me, and a red tint on the ground.

And I suddenly realized I could hear no heartbeat other than the wolves' accelerated one.

Not a human one.


	6. Revenge

6. Revenge

I walked slowly towards the wolves. I was focusing intensely on the boy lying on the ground, hoping that I would make out his heartbeat. The wolves got closer; all of them had a more or less stern expression on their face. Sam led, and in his eyes I could make out the hatred and the anger that he'd unleashed on the human. Jared and Paul looked also grave. But Seth, the last of the clan, looked sad and apologetic. I passed my hand through his giant head's fur.

"He is…dead?" I asked, my voice a bit colder than I'd wanted. Seth lowered his eyes, but did not nod. I assumed he wasn't too sure.

"Bastard only got what he deserved." I heard a strong voice call behind me. Sam and the other two had changed back, and had dressed. I turned back on him, startled.

Sam usually didn't resort to violence. I looked down. The wave of anger that swept inside me surprised me. I should have been somewhat happy, relieved. Instead I was upset that he'd gotten it so easy. He had died without feeling the same kind of pain Jake was having now.

"No, he didn't." I retorted, looking at Sam. He was much taller than me, and making an impression of power on him was pretty tough. But Sam liked me. He cared about Jacob and my mother. He looked surprised at my answer.

"What do you mean?"

"It was painless. You just…killed him."

"Nessie, he's _dead_. Can't be much worse than that!"

"Sam, I know you think death is the worst thing to happen to a person, but its not. Pain is the worst."

"I wasn't going to torture him!"

"He tortured Jacob! He's _still_ torturing him!!"

Sam looked down at me. I stared at the boy lying bloody and broken at the cliff's edge. The cool air whipped my hair and face, and I regretted leaving my sweater behind. My arms were developing goose bumps.

"Nessie…" Sam continued. But his sentence was cut short.

"Renesme! Don't you ever do that again!"

Darn.

Dad was advancing towards us, very, very angry. He grabbed my shoulders and shook me a little. His tone was scolding, but I wasn't focused enough to really hear the irritation in it.

"Young lady, don't you ever attack your father again, or I will…Hey! Look at me when I yell at you!" My eyes were still fixed on the boy. Dad traced my stare and let go of his tight grip on my shoulders. His mouth went into a silent 'oh'.

"They killed him." I said blankly.

Dad looked a bit smug. I guess he'd hoped to get to the boy first, to make his kid and wife happy.

"Well, this is…good news, I guess…"

"No its not."

"Nessie?"

I stared on. The anger was building up more and more. It was probably setting up its own little community inside my heart right now. I saw images of Jacob lying on the grass, dismembered and bloody again. Details of his face and body flashed in my mind. Dad let go of me and walked towards Sam. I remained still, unmoving. I was secretly praying that I would hear the slow heartbeat. I replayed the fight and the scene in the meadow over and over again. I started to walk towards the guy. I could see his face now. The pack hadn't really gotten to him. I figured his legs were broken and maybe some ribs. His chest was bleeding profusely. But his face was intact, except for a bruise on his cheek. His eyes were closed. He had dirty blond hair, long and dirty. He had a very thin face, and a very straight nose. Like most teenagers I knew, he had acne. He looked about seventeen. I got closer still, and knelt beside him. My stare was on his visage, my eyes were narrowed. I could still hear my father and the pack talking. They were asking for news about Jake. I lifted my hand and placed it on the boy's chest. I couldn't feel his heart beat at all.

Suddenly, out of anger and frustration, I took both my hands, and locking them into a tight fist, I jammed them on his chest, grunting loudly. I repeated various times, hoping to restart his heart. I didn't know much CPR, and I was desperate.

"Live! Live! C'mon you jerk!"

The pack and dad ran towards me, and I felt strong hands trying to take me away from him.

"NO!" I yelled, not stopping in the pressures I was administrating to his heart. "I want to be able to make him feel the same pain he gave Jacob!! It's not fair! Let me..." I kept going and going, fighting my father's strong hands. But even after a few minutes of it, I still couldn't hear any heartbeat.

"Nessie…" my father pleaded. I turned to him. His expression was sad and weary.

I looked back at the boy. He was turning paler. Tears flowed down my cheeks, though I had no idea why. I slowed down the pressures, suddenly tired.

"No…no, come on…please…"

But he did not stir. I let go of him, my arms limp and my sides and covered in blood. I sobbed at my failure, looking down at him. My father bent down near me and took me in a tight hug. I hid my face in my chest, crying louder now. He picked me up and stood.

"I'll get back to you as soon as I know more about Jacob." He said to the pack.

I heard grunts of agreement and the boy's body being picked up. My father took off towards the trees, running at full speed.


	7. Awakening

7. Awakening

As we got closer to home, my father slowed down to a walk. I figured Em, Jazz and Alice had left. My crying had stopped, and I know just stared into space, blankly. My hands felt numb, and the terrible smell of _his _blood hurt my nose. I couldn't really feel my legs either. What was wrong with me? It was so stupid, what kind of person tries to revive her lover's murdered?

"Jake's not dead yet, hon." Dad said. I looked up. He was looking at me, and he looked sad and concerned. Maybe I was going crazy. I couldn't stand being without Jacob.

I then realized we'd stopped. We were at the very edge of the forest. Dad put me down, but kept supporting me by grabbing my elbows, while I grabbed his. He put his gaze in mine. He didn't do this very often. This meant he was either going around my brain looking for interesting thoughts or talking serious. He sighed.

"You know…about ten years ago, I felt the exact same way about your mother. When I left her."

This revelation surprised me. I had only ever heard my mother's side of the story, or Jacob's. It was true I didn't spend as much time with my father than with my aunts and mother. Or Jacob.

"When I thought she'd died, I…felt empty. Useless, shapeless, dull. Like a vase without flowers and water. Or like…a frame without the picture. I wasn't complete. I needed your mother, and I could not even stand the possibility of her death. I didn't even try to rethink my decision to go to Voltera. I ran through. Just like you…"

He paused, waiting for a reply. It was strange for me, feeling this close to my father. Of course, I'd figured the separation must have been unbearably tough on him, but he and I… we didn't have a person to make us happier.

He smiled weakly, and putting his hand in my messy hair, he ruffled it, making my curls bounce.

"You're more like your old man than you think, kiddo." He smiled. He put his arm around my shoulders and led me home.

We opened the door to a rather strange scene.

My mother was rushing upstairs with Carlisle, expressions of concern on their faces, where we could hear Esme's alarmed cries. Alice and Jasper were almost to the staircase, holding hands and running along, Emmett was climbing through the bars of the stair ramp, and Rosalie was trying to get him down.

Dad ran towards them after a second of staring, baffled.

I sat in the doorway and closed to door.

"Carlisle, hurry up, he's CHOCKING!" I heard Grandma scream.

"I can't go much faster, he's intubated! One wrong movement and no more vocal cords!"

My mother, Alice and Emmett were emitting terrified yells of directions and encouraging making Carlisle go faster. Rosalie was groaning. As for Jasper, I could see him outside the door, looking inside the room.

And above all the noise, I could make out loud grunts and retching sounds, and the metal screeches of a hospital bed being rumbled.

Jacob…was up.


	8. Pieces

8. Pieces

Millions of things ran through my head at that very second. I felt like time had stopped, or at least my mind was going in slow motion. In a movie scene, there would have been a sudden camera turn towards me. I was frozen in place, petrified by a sudden crashing wave of fear. A tiny little voice in my head was pressuring me to move my butt upstairs. I stayed there for a while, trembling, and my eyes wide. It was the exact same feeling I'd experienced when Rosalie and mom had told me the news of Jake's accident. But this time, a large spark of hope and joy had erupted in my heart. I blinked, and suddenly, time set back. I was here. I was up and ready, and Jacob was alive. I rushed towards the staircase, and grabbed on the railing to increase my speed. I climbed the steps two by two. I could hear the adrenaline pulsing in my ears, as well as my accelerated heartbeat. I took the quick turn to Jake's room, the very first one down the hall. Jasper was still outside, picking at his fingernails, looking rather bored. I was tried regaining my breath, hands on my knees, so I would look somewhat acceptable when I went inside. Jasper looked at me for the corner of his eye. I felt strength building up inside of me once more, and my breathing became more equal. I smiled. Jasper didn't talk very often, but he did have a good way to make people feel better. I straightened up and walked to the closed door. I couldn't hear much. I hoped it was only because Grandpa had asked everyone to quiet down. I took a deep breath and opened the door.

Jake was on the bed, eyes closed. He looked rather pale for his natural dark russet skin. Everyone was gathered around him, four of them on each side. Grandpa was sitting down near Jake's head, injecting some sort of vaccine in his perfusion. Except of him, all eyes were turned on my sudden appearance. It was the first time I'd stepped into Jake's room in a week. It was also the first time I saw him since the attack. His wounds were healing rather nicely. His chest and arms were still bandaged, but I couldn't see any red tint to them. His face had some pink marks on it, and the deep cut that had slashed his nose was still there, a bit darker than the other scars on his head. I could see that it was left some damage to the straight shape of his nose, leaving it a bit crooked. His hair had grown back nicely, though it was uneven. His normally fast heartbeat was a bit slower than usual, but it was there. I could see sweat on his forehead, probably from the panic that he must have felt a few minutes before. Dad and Mom smiled at me, and motioning to the rest of my family, took off, followed by Alice, Em, Rose and Grandma. Only Grandpa stayed, his fist under his chin, looking intensely at Jacob.

"I knocked him out; he needs all the rest he can get." He said, turning his kind eyes to me. I could see how happy he was. Grandpa really cared for Jacob. "I hope you don't mind." He added.

"No." I coughed. "No, it's fine. Great actually, he'll heal faster." I got closer, grabbing onto the bed's metal end.

Grandpa got up.

"Are you staying?"

I nodded, not taking my eyes off Jacob. I longed for some time with him, even if he was asleep. Grandpa walked to the door.

"Call me if he wakes, all right?" he said, before closing the door.

I stared at Jake's bandaged body. I could make out the cast covering his left leg under the covers. The monitoring machine gave annoying little 'beeps' every few seconds. I breathed in slowly. His odor was the smell was usual. Smoke and spice.

"Hey." I said. I paused. What was I supposed to say? I'd seen so many movies with stuff like this. I remembered scenes from one of Alice's favorite shows where girls would talk to their unconscious boyfriends before surgeries, or on their death beds. I rocked on my feet, swaying a bit. Letting go of the metal edge, I walked towards the chair near his head. I sat down, and stuck my hands between my knees. I looked at him, crouched a bit.

"Hey." I repeated. "Can you hear me?"

He stayed still.

"I'm sorry I didn't come earlier." How corny. I felt like I was in a soap opera.

I reached for his hand. It was warm, as always. I looked away.

"They're taking good care of you, you know…they all love you. Even Rose, I think. Somewhat, in any case."

I locked my eyes of him. I had trouble breathing again. Tears swelled again in my eyes. I was so sick of crying all the time. I was exhausted, but I didn't care. Not anymore.

Not with him.

I got up and let go of his hand. Hesitating for a minute, I then laid on the bed next to him, planting my head near his neck. I felt instantly warmer. Careful not to hurt him, I picked up his hand and bent his arm so I could hold on to him from where I was.

"I'm sorry." I whispered. And the tears came, flowing down my face onto his shoulders. Uncontrollably, I sobbed and gasped, holding his hand tighter. I don't know exactly how long I stayed like that, crying my eyes out. Hours, maybe. The windows in his room were closed. Sniffing, I raised myself I bit, and put my free hand on the side of his face, caressing his cheek.

"Don't die, okay? Cause if you do, I will kick your sorry butt."

He mumbled and turned his head towards me. I gasped. Frozen, I waited for another sign of life. I saw him frown and narrow his closed eyes.

"Jake?"

He blinked. I gasped. His eyes were now open, though heavily lidded. A wide smile appeared on his beautiful lips. I gapped at him, tears still dripping down my face.

"Hello, angel." He croaked. I collapsed on his chest, laughing and crying in relief.

"Oh my God…oh my God…you're talking!"

He laughed. I lifted my head up to see his happy face. He brushed my humid, untidy curls with his fingers, while grasping my hand with his free one.

"Stop crying." He said soothingly. "I'm fine. I can't feel a thing."

"That's because you're loaded with morphine." I laughed.

He smiled, showing his teeth. I settled myself back near him.

"Jake…I'm so sorry, I…"

"No…no, don't apologize. Not now. Right now there's only one thing I want from you."

With that, he raised my head and kissed me full on the lips, locking me in a tight embrace. I'd almost forgotten what it was like to kiss him. My lips were much warmer than mine, and the contrast between the two temperatures was like a lighting shock. It felt like my heart was dancing the conga. I'd stopped crying, finally, letting joy engulf my body and mind, and taking me back to my one true love.

I was careful enough not to tough his bandages, but he hoisted me up on him.

"Woah, there!" I laughed. "Calm down a bit!"

He smiled and poked at my nose.

"Ness, doll, I just suffered from a near death experience. Am I not allowed some fun?"

I gave him a smug look and giggled. I bent down and kissed him again.

"Well, I'm only technically eight and a half. I hardly think my father would appreciate it if you did anything."

He chuckled, and then lowered his bottom lip, which made him look like a stubborn child.

"Well, _technically_, you had your first kiss when you were six."

I laughed.

"Maybe later. Now, get some rest, okay. I have to go tell Carlisle you're awake."

He smiled again. It was so good to see him like that again. When he smiled like that, I couldn't even see his scars.

"Promise me you'll come back."

"I promise" I smiled.

Letting go of his hands, I slid off the bed.

"I'll tell you everything tomorrow okay? All that you missed." I said before leaving.

"Ditto, here."

I paused, confused.

"What's there to tell, you were comatose!"

"I meant what happened before. Those guys… I think I know them."

I remained silent. This wasn't expected. Who would attack Jacob? It was never going to end, was it?

"Okay…tomorrow." I added, knowing he wouldn't have the energy to tell me now. I walked out the door.

"Nessie?" I heard him ask.

I peeked in.

"I love you." He said in a little smile.

I chuckled.

"Same here."


	9. Revelation

9. Revelation

I slept better that night, finally free from the pressure of Jake's near death. I didn't dream at all, enjoying the deep darkness of my sleep. When I woke the next morning, my parents had left for school, along with my aunts and uncles, and Grandpa had gone to work. It had only been a few months since Alaska, and I was still exempt from public education. Grandma was out too, I figured when I got no answer after calling her. I decided to check if Jake was sleeping, but when I heard the loud snoring emerging from his door, I didn't bother to come in. Instead, I went downstairs to make us some breakfast. My thoughts were rather occupied as I mixed the eggs and milk to make pancakes. What had Jake meant when he said he knew his attackers? What was I supposed to tell him about the dead one? I signed heavily. I'd hoped that once he'd awakened, there'd be no more issues. I put the creamy mixture in separate piles on the warm pan. Even from downstairs, I could hear the soft rumbles of Jake's snoring. A few minutes later, the pancake stack was ready, along with some orange juice and a pot of Nutella on a tray. I took it and walked up the stairs, hoping the smell of the soft cakes would wake up Jacob. I laughed when I heard an abrupt stop to his snoring and a moan of happiness. I gently kicked his door open, and smiled as I saw his messy hair and his happy smile.

"Hello!" I chanted, laying down the tray on his bed side table. I sat on his covers. I could barely see a thing, and lit his lamp. It was still dark outside, we were only in mid-November. He took my hands and lowered me to kiss me softly on the lips.

"Hey…you look lovely." He said with a grin. His eyes were barely open.

I laughed. I hadn't changed yet, or brushed my hair. My pajamas were only one of Jake's shirts and sport shorts. As for my hair, it was indescribably messy.

"What time is it?" he asked, not letting me go. I turned my head towards his clock.

"7:00."

"Where is everyone?" he asked. I grinned.

"Away…hunting, working…far, far away from here." I said in what I hoped was a sultry tone. I bent towards him once more. I noticed that his arm bandages had been taken off. They were intact. I kissed him again. He laughed in the bright middle of it. He rubbed my nose with his, grinning.

"Now, now…you said yourself you were too young." He grinned.

I threw my head back, laughing.

"Weren't you told? I grow more and more everyday."

"Not since last September, my love. And yesterday, you said that you weren't ready."

"No, I said my father wouldn't appreciate it."

"Well, it's not like we've never gotten anywhere close…" he stated. I blushed.

He laughed.

"Let's at least eat first." I noticed he was looking at the pancakes avidly.

I brought the tray closer, and laid it on the bed.

As we ate, we remained silent until Jake spoke in a rather serious tone.

"So, about yesterday…I want to tell you something."

I was in the mist of chewing, Nutella spread all over my mouth. This wasn't really the moment, I thought, but…

"Those guys, I'm pretty sure I've seen them before."

I looked at him, confused. I'd observed one of them pretty close and I had no idea who he was.

"Especially that blond one. He looked really familiar. He was damn strong, too."

I blinked. Sighing heavily, I said:

"Jake, he's dead. Sam and the pack killed him."

Jacob raised his head. He looked shocked.

"They killed him?"

"Yeah…"

I looked down. The memory of my desperate CPR was still fresh in my mind.

"But…wait, no that's not possible."

"Jake, they killed him. He was only human, of course it's possible."

"But, no! Wait I…that's just…no."

He could be so stubborn sometimes.

"Hon, humans die. That's why we're happy that we're immortal, remember?"

"But that's the thing, see…" He was lost in thought, a pancake still in his hand, eyes looking frantically into space.

"What?" I asked, a bit impatient now.

"No, you're gonna think I'm crazy."

"I already do." I joked.

He turned his eyes to me.

"Ness…of three of the guys freaked it was because they're vulnerable. But that last one…"

Where was he going with this? Out of concern, I reached my hand to his forehead. It was the same temperature as usual.

"He didn't…really have a heartbeat. It was unnaturally slow and long. Kinda like yours."

I froze.

"Ness…I think he was just like you…half human, half…"

"Vampire." I finished.


	10. Decision

Jake and I remained quiet. As he chewed on his half finished pancake, I wondered. If he was dead…then what did that mean about me? And if he wasn't, then what now? It did become clearer how four boys could have taken Jake on, with a half vampire in the pack. But he didn't look very vampiric to me. I'd always noticed that my family and I stood out from others around us. We were considered inhumanly attractive. Apart from an unusual pallor, he hadn't seemed…beautiful. I stopped thinking when I heard the front door close from below. I got up.

"Be back." I said before leaving the room.

Grandma was downstairs, hosting bags and bags of groceries in her arms. She was balancing them while she closed the door. I ran to her before she let some fall and grabbed the two that were dangerously leaning.

She smiled as she saw me.

"Hey, sweetheart!" she beamed. "How do you feel?" she added as we walked towards the kitchen.

"Good…better." I said as I put the stuff down on the table. "I made breakfast."

She smiled again.

"Is Jacob awake?"

"Yeah, we ate together."

"'Morning, Esme!" we heard a voice boom from above. Jake's hearing was sharp too.

She laughed.

"Good morning." She said back.

I looked out the window, distracted. I could hear Grandma telling Jake she'd gotten his favorite type of cereal, but distantly, as if my mind was shutting them out. I could only think of the blond boy. What had happened after we'd left? Had he awakened? Had he attacked the pack? Was he dead, dying, alive, looking for us? I barely felt Grandma's hand on my shoulder before she asked, worried:

"Nessie, are you all right?" Her eyes were alert, concerned, and wider than usual. I sun towards her and nodded, trying to pull off an innocent, confused expression. She didn't buy it, and eyed me suspiciously.

"Are you sure? You look worried."

"I…just have a lot on my mind." Wrong answer. She raised her eyebrows and placed her fists on her hips. I figured she was confused as to why a person who'd just recovered her love would be worried _now_. She wasn't going to let this one go.

"Tell me, please." It resembled more an order.

I took in a deep breath.

"Can I die? I mean, logically, is it possible?"

She was taken off balance. She blinked various times, and felt my forehead. I smiled. Maybe I was going a bit crazy.

"Why would you…Why do you want to…why?" she said, stammering.

"I mean, I am half human, right? So, technically, couldn't my heart…stop?"

I did know that my heart rate got slower and slower every day, as I was now fully grown physically and soon to be a complete…zombie.

Grandma looked a little mortified. I hoped she wasn't thinking I was planning something.

"I just…Jake thinks…" I sighed. This was a lot more difficult than I'd wanted. I breathed in slowly. "A half vampire attacked Jake."

Grandma's mouth fell open, her eyes changed from concern to fear.

"I…oh my…honey…I…" She dashed to the phone, leaving me behind.

Well, that was interesting.

I went back to pondering. I could hear Gran's voice talking pretty frantically to Granps on the phone. I sighed.

Great.

Now I was going to worry everyone.

I had to be sure. Again, adrenaline pulsed in my ears. I walked towards the door and left, uncaring of my off the bed appearance. My focus was on my destination. I had to go to LaPush. I had to find Sam. I had to ask.

Now.


	11. Cliffs

I walked out of the house without bothering to change. I breathed slowly, focusing. I didn't want my parents involved in this yet, so I needed to keep my mind shut. I also had to try to keep changing plans, but in small parts, like going left, then right, then backwards, then up, or something. I inhaled, clearing my mind, and instead tried to get a song stuck in my head long enough until I found Sam. I suddenly remembered a long lost CD of my mother, with lots of guitar and singing. The melodies got stuck in my head fast enough.

I hummed along as loud as possible while walking in sudden zigzags along the path towards First Beach.

_Right, left, back, left, skip, and…leap!_ I thought randomly as I jumped in towards the high branches above, and grabbed on to them and started to swing on and off, in all directions, letting my adrenaline guide my dancing. I kept my head busy by reciting Shakespeare, or switching to RnB lyrics.

That should keep my father and aunt away. I knew they were still worried about me, dad in particular.

Don't slip, don't slip. Stop thinking…

"Dum dum deeh dumdum dee dumdumdum" I sang out loud as I twisted gracefully back down and started to run.

I reached the beach before long. I was out of breath, and needed to stop and rest my hands on my knees before going again. I looked up. The reservation was about two miles to my left, I figured. I could see the cliffs to my right.

I turned towards the village when something caught my attention.

A strange glow in the distance, by the cliffs. It was a little difficult to see because of the sun. I covered the bottom of my forehead with my palm to get a better view.

I realized that made matters only worse because my hand was glowing.

I gasped.

Glowing.

Me. The half-vampire. I took a step back in shock. I could see clearly now, like my sudden alarm had raised my senses.

In the cold wind of April, I could see straight blond hair blowing away from his face. He _was_ glowing. He had no shirt on, only ripped jeans. He was looking straight into the distance of the Pacific Ocean. I could almost smell in too.

It was too minty for me to appreciate it. A sudden gush of wind blew my hair away towards my face. Almost suddenly, his head snapped towards me. I could barely see his facial expression, but he was intent- his whole body turned to me.

He was alive. He hadn't died at all. And now he was walking towards me, an unfriendly grin on his lips.

I froze.


	12. Monster

He _was_ beautiful. I wondered how come I hadn't seen it at first. His hair was white blonde, very fine. His eyes were bright blue. He didn't have any acne, actually. What had those red spots on his face been then?

Blood, I figured.

He had full lips and his face, though extremely thin, was also very delicate. He reminded me of those Japanese dolls I'd seen on the Internet. As for his chest, it was covered in pink scars. I knew that my kind heal faster than normal humans. Half vampires are more resistant, but we can get hurt. He was slender, but muscular. His legs swiftly moved towards me.

And I was still frozen. As pretty as he was, his features were consorted in a dangerous smile. He looked…scary, like a real, evil vampire.

He stopped about two yards away from me. His scent was burning my nose. Compared to the floral, fruity ones I was used to, or Jake's spicy fragrance, it was almost unbearable- like when you chew really minty gum.

I swallowed, feeling uneasy.

"Good morning." He said, very pleasant. He voice was very soft and sweet, which made him even more terrifying.

I stayed quiet. A large ball was building up in my throat. My eyes were burning from the wind.

I was cold too; my pajamas weren't designed to be used outside. How the hell wasn't he shivering?

"How are you?" he said. How casual.

What was he planning?

A shudder ran down my spine.

My senses suddenly came back to me, abruptly shaking awareness in me.

"Why?" I demanded.

He cocked his head to the side, like a confused child.

"Hmm?"

"Why did you attack Jacob?"

He threw his head back, twirling his hair around, and crossed his arms.

"Jacob?" he asked, confused. "Ah, the werewolf." He added after a pause. "Those lands are not meant to be shared between vampires and werewolves."

Anger sprang inside me, but I remained quiet.

"All I did was defend my side. You should too."

My shut my fists and bit my lip. I didn't want to fight. I wanted to understand. I heard him sigh.

"You do smell lovely." He stated. I looked up at him, and immediately felt a sick wave hit my stomach.

His eyes were locked on me, glutton, like I was food or something. His lips were pursed, and slightly to the side.

I leaned away, scared.

What the hell? He was like me! He had _blood_. Why should I fear him?

"You don't scare me." I said.

He laughed. The sound sent shivers down my spine and I felt the hairs of my neck rise.

"How come?" he said.

"Because the wolves will attack if you even _reach_ for me."

He made his eyebrows bounce, amused.

"The wolves? They don't know I'm here. After you left, they threw my body in the ocean, unaware of my survival. I stayed there, motionless until night came."

"That doesn't mean that they can't smell you now." I said, wrinkling my nose.

"I made sure they'd get confused. I know werewolves can smell us more easily than other creatures. So yesterday, I made a false trail. Easy enough." He mused.

"You…made…sure…"

"I've been planning this since I met your…what was his name? Ah, _Jacob_." He sneered.

I could feel the goose bumps raise all over my body.

"You see, I have this…talent. I can smell memories. When the wolf was thinking of you, after we attacked him, ummm…you scent was just…mouthwatering."

"But you're half human!" I cried in shock. It was silly, but panic and confusion were at a tie in my head.

He shook his head.

"No. I'm one eighth human. I cannot abide with human food, it disgust me, even if I can survive on it. Blood is _so_ much more appetizing."

He took another step towards me, taunting.

I automatically walked back.

"Now, now…don't fight. You aren't half as strong as me."

I knew he was right. Most of him was vampiric. I was weak. Fragile. Breakable.

"I promise you I won't hurt you…much." he said in a silk soft tone, raising his hand palm up towards me.

As he took yet another step towards me, I spun around and made a run for the forest.

I heard his soft chuckle behind me and a slight rustling as he entered the woods as well.

"You can't escape me…" he whispered.

And deep down, I knew he was right.

I wouldn't escape him.

Not alone.


	13. Hunt

My legs pushed and pushed and still I could not go as fast as I wanted. I could feel that my overly large clothes were slowing me down as well. My hair kept tangling itself in the branches and pulling at my scalp, making me yelp in pain every time it happened. My bare feet were starting to hurt because of the hard, cold ground. I could feel the tears building up in my eyes and the ball of stress climbing higher in my throat. My heartbeat was accelerated, and the adrenaline pumping itself in my ears kept an unsteady drum beat. I kept dashing deeper in the woods. Various times I paused for a second, looking frantically around, gasping for air as I heard his ghostly laugh echo across the forest, unable to find him.

Above all that, I could see that it was getting darker, and I was getting lost.

Since when where the woods so damn big?! I ran faster still, trying to find an exit.

I tripped and fell violently on the ground, face first. The shock knocked the breath out of me. My hair was disgusting from the dirt sticking to it. I'd scraped my cheek, too, and it burnt. I got up quickly and brushed the dirt off my clothes without looking up. I took a step forward, prepared to run.

I smacked hard into something ice cold and marble solid.

His strong hands wrapped violently against my wrists, and pulled them up to my shoulders before I could look at him.

He crushed me against a tree behind me and pressed his own body against mine.

I didn't have time to see his face before his lips brushed my neck, slowly, carefully. He traced the curve of my neck and slid his cold nose below my ear, breathing deeply. I heard him moan, and the sound twisted my stomach. His nose glided up my ear, tracing the smooth shape of it, until his mouth reached my ear as well.

"You shouldn't have run…I get impatient…" he said sweetly.

My breathing was uneven, unfocused. I could hear my slow heartbeat accelerate. I tried to shove myself away from his, but his shoulders were pressed too heavily against mine, and his legs were locking mine against the rough bark.

How was I supposed to escape?

I searched frantically for an escape, any escape.

_Up._

With all my might, I leaped up from his hold, raising my arms to grab a branch.

I heard two distinctive crunching sounds coming from my arms.

The pain was so unbearable I didn't even have the ability to scream in agony, even though I opened my mouth wide.

He yanked me back down and pressed his forehead to mine.

"That was silly." He said in the same tone, brushing my hurt cheek with his lips. I felt something colder and wetter touch my cheek for a second.

His tongue, licking at the dry blood from my fall.

I groaned, both in agony and disgust.

"Hmm…you taste good." He approved, grinning.

The tears in my eyes were flowing down, faster and faster they accelerated, until I broke out in sobs.

I didn't want to die.

It was me or Jacob; I realized that, but…

I didn't want to die.

Not yet, there were too many things I didn't want to lose.

I thought of my uncles and how much we'd laugh together.

I thought of my aunts who always spoiled me even when I didn't want it.

I thought of my grandparents, and their kindness.

I thought of my parents and how much they loved me.

But mostly, I thought of Jacob and how much I loved him.

The man suddenly lifted his face from my hair, where he'd moved, and looked at me sternly.

"It's terribly unsettling to smell that monster when I was deeply breathing your scent in, you know." He sighed. Slowly, he reached up from my wrist to touch my face. The burning sensation in my arm was still scorching, but when his cold fingertips brushed against my lips, I went to limp I couldn't even feel it much.

What was he going to do to me?

A sudden panic rose in me, shouting louder and angrier with each passing second.

I knew he wanted to kill me…and I hoped very dearly that was all he had in mind.

His hand climbed to my hair and brushed it slowly, while his burning eyes tore inside me. A slight smile was on his face, his expression amused.

"Don't be scared." He cooed. His face tipped towards mine and I recoiled against the tree turning my visage to the right, gasping. From here, I noticed his smell burnt my nose so much I could barely breathe.

He chuckled, and grabbed my chin. I faced him, and I knew my eyes were wide with fear, but somehow…empty.

With his free hand, he laced my palm against his cheek. The pain from my wrist was too much for me to fight him. I let him.

And then I remembered what he'd told me.

_I can smell memories…_

I could send memories.

With all my power, I thought about the foulest smelling thing I knew he would hate.

I remembered Jacob and recited all of the aspects of the memories I had with him. Immediately I felt the man cringe and pull away from me.

His nose was wrinkled in disgust. He pulled his face away, but I kept my hands there. Again and again I remembered Jake's scent: so beautiful for me, so repelling for my enemy.

"Stop!" he growled, and yanked my hands away. I was so focused on Jacob I didn't even notice the sudden weight in my stomach.

It wasn't until I was spinning in mid-air that I realized that the man had kicked me in the abdomen.

I crashed against a tree and hit my head.

My vision was blurry when I looked up. He was crouched in front of me, my arm held firmly in his clasped hand.

He smiled and narrowed his eyes…

And then everything went black.


	14. I must have a sixth sense

**Jacob POV, for a change (only this chapter). I tried doing it with Ness but it was boooooring *snores* SO i changed it :B**

I drummed my fingers impatiently on my bed covers. It was way to easy to get me bored. I should work on that. Nessie had been gone for a while now, about ten minutes…

It felt longer. I know I was fidgeting. I felt uneasy…like something was wrong. I could put my finger on it. I'd finished the pancakes and I was damn bored now.

I heard someone walk up the stairs. A sparkle of hope settled in my heart…and fell back down when I realized it was only Esme. She was on the phone with Carlisle, I could hear his voice.

"Nessie?" I heard her ask. I got confused; I thought Ness was downstairs, with her grandma. I heard her creep into Nessie's room.

"Nessie?" she repeated, in a confused tone. "Carlisle, she's not here!" I heard her squeak. An uncomfortable wave of panic hit me. Where was she? I sat up, and tried to tear the IV out of my arm.

"Give me Jacob." I heard Carlisle ask. Esme entered my room, shy, and handed me the phone as she sat on my bed. I took it, dumbfounded.

"Carlisle?"

"Jacob, do you know where Nessie is?" His tone was stern, but I could hear his concern.

"No, I…I thought she was with downstairs with Esme!" I half-shouted, uneasy. I felt Esme wince beside me. She was so worried it made me edgy. I felt her hands grab my free one tightly.

"Jacob, can you…feel where she is?" he asked a little more worried now.

"I…" So that explained my uneasiness. Why I was fidgeting. I could feel a weird weight in my heart, my stomach, and my head. Like when you know you're missing something, but you don't know what. Nessie was…in trouble, somewhere. "I don't know. I can feel something's wrong."

"Let your senses guide you, Jacob. Breathe in and focus. Find her." He kept his tone flat, but it was veiled with worry. He was gonna burst soon enough. Nevertheless, I obeyed and closed my eyes. I pictured her in my head with all my might. I could feel my pulse accelerating, my head spinning and my muscles were tightening. I started to picture something else along with Nessie. Hints of blue and green…some brown. I could smell something else as well. Salt and water…and a very harsh mint smell. I opened my eyes wide and sat up so suddenly Esme gasped and almost fell off my bed.

"Nessie…" I hissed under my teeth. I snatched off the IV and other plugs and got up.

"Jacob!" Esme tried to restrain me, holding my arm back while the other was tearing at the cast. I broke it easily and shook off the woman. Her look was pleading.

"I have to go." I said, before running off.

I let myself change forms so my leg wouldn't hurt as much. The doctor would be so pissed at me if I broke it again. I knew where to go, and I let my instincts guide me. The speed wasn't fast enough. A sudden stab in my heart startled me. I knew she was hurt. It was weird…feeling pain when she did. Like we shared feelings and emotions, like we were one. I caught a glimpse of something dashing at my side and heard various pairs of running footsteps beside me. They were all here. I could see Edward perfectly; he was in front of me. Bella ran next to him, followed by Alice and Rosalie who were at my sides. Emmett was swigging from branch to branch with Jasper. Esme was following behind. The Doc must be on his way. They were all snarling. _We_ were all snarling. Our only point of focus was right ahead, agonizing, dying…

Renesme.

"I _told _you we shouldn't have left her alone!" Rosalie hissed.

"She wasn't alone! Jake and Esme were there!" Edward yelled back.

"Well, _maybe_ if we hadn't decided to go all the way to Everett for _school and work_, we wouldn't _be_ in this situation right now!" Rosalie shouted.

"Guys, SHUT UP!" Bella and Alice screamed at the same time.

Emmett crashed down on his feet and started to run, soon followed by Jasper, who fell by Alice.

"We're close." He whispered. I saw him take Alice's hand out of the corner of my eye.

"No." Edward snarled. "We're _here._"

He was right. The scent of blood was filling the air. Jasper cringed and I heard Alice tell him to hold his breath or stay behind if he wanted.

I could see her now. Lying on the floor, motionless…splattered with red liquid. My stomach lurched. I growled, outraged, pained and unable to hold myself. I ran full speed and easily surpassed Edward. Ahead of me was a blond bloodsucker, his mouth circled with scarlet blood. _Her_ blood.

I lunged for him.


	15. Safe

**I apologize for taking SO friggin long!!!!!!! *bows down shouting 'i am not worthy'* anyways...back to Ness POV and yeah...i love Edward in this chapter. FINAL chapter :)**

_...bip...bip...bip...bip...bip..._

I groaned. Someone had to make that noise stop! I turned to bury my face in my pillow and felt a sharp pain in my arm.

"Ow!" I hissed. What the…? I opened my eyes, confused.

I was in a very white room, with the windows wide open and a faint breeze coming through them. I could barely see the outside, it was so bright. I squinted at the light. Why was I on a bed? Last thing I remembered was…dying.

Suddenly it hit me.

"OH SHIT!" I sat up fast, too fast and felt the sharp dab again. I rubbed my arm in frustration and pain. Oh crap, was I dead? Actually dead?

As in…in Heaven?

Oh. _Oh._

Well this would have surprised Dad. Guess we weren't damned after all. I tried to get up, but couldn't. Me legs felt empty, as did my lower back and my arms. I slumped back down, confused. Heaven wasn't just a bed, right? That would be…weird. I looked down and was happy to see my pajamas were the same. I looked around the room and finally I could see a bit better, as if my eyes had gotten used to the light intensity. I was plugged to a machine. Ah, I thought, the source of the noise. It kept beeping. Why was there a heart monitor in Heaven? A sudden purr turned my attention to the floor on my right. I peeked out; a little scared to below my bed.

Jacob was slumped on the floor, asleep. A wave of shock it me. Jacob? Dead? Alive? Where was I? I started to panic. I had to know if I was dreaming, so I reached out and poked him. His skin still felt hot to me. He grumbled and moved his arm.

"Jacob?" I whispered. "Jake?" I poked him again and again, but he didn't move. Finally I slapped his arm as hard as I could.

"GAH!" He stood up suddenly and looked around, confused. "What? What?" He looked exhausted. Finally his eyes met mine and he froze. Then, laughing loudly, he jumped on the bed and took me in a tight bear hug.

"You're awake!"

"Gosh…Jake…Lungs…"I gasped

He broke away.

"Oops." He laughed. I looked at him curiously. All his scars were gone, except for the one that ran down his face, but it was fading. His leg was still in a cast, but it looked fresh. His hair was grown back completely, but it looked gross- messy and unwashed. He reached for my face and caressed my cheek. His hand was warm, as usual.

"How are you?" he asked.

"Err…" I hesitated. "Fuzzy." I rubbed my forehead. Jake chuckled and kissed my cheek.

"Yeah, the doc said that might happen." Carlisle? So I _wasn't_ dead. I exhaled in relief.

"How do you like the room?" He frowned. Obviously he didn't like it.

"It's very…clean. And shiny."

"Courtesy of Alice."

"How come I'm not in _my _room?" I asked. He flinched. This confused me, Jacob had always liked my room. I reached for his face to make his eyes turn to me so he'd answer my question.

"Jake?"

"Well…when we got you back from…there, you were…" He sighed. "Ness, you were drained almost to death. You couldn't move, the bastard had broken some most of your bones. Plus, you hit your head pretty hard and Carlisle was scared you'd not make it far. We had no _time _to take you home. So you're in the cottage. Carlisle ran back home to get stuff while we put you in your old room. Alice was in the process of redecorating it to make it more 'teenage-ish' and so…it looks like _this_." He smiled faintly. I looked around. Finally I could recognize it. The windows still had the old pink curtains, and the floor was still the same wood. The rugs were the same too. But the walls had been repainted white, and there was a start of green pain in the corners. I hadn't been here in a while, as I preferred the big house. At least it had a kitchen.

"What about my parents? And the others? How are they?"

"Well, Bells is still pretty shaken. I mean you should have seen yourself. It was freaky as hell." He looked extremely sad all of the sudden. I got closer to him and he put his arms around me. "Your dad made sure the other guy was dead. _Really _dead. As did Emmett and Jasper. It was pretty brutal. Doc and Esme are just fine, Rosalie is still mad at Edward for having left you alone, and Alice got a little hurt, but…"

"WHAT? Alice? What, How?! Is she okay?!" I grabbed at him frantically.

"Nessie, hon, chill! She's fine! She got...bit, is all." He shrugged a little.

"Bit? Alice got _bit?_"

"Well, when _Dracula_ started to fight with us, he kinda grabbed her and, ehh…used her as a shield. Then of course Jasper got pissed and then it got _really_ intense."

I gaped at him. Tiny aunt Alice, a _shield_. I stuttered.

"How bad is it?" I swallowed.

"Ness, she's good. He only bit her hand. Once."

I sighed in relief. Sheesh. I was having too much info in one day.

"Nessie?"

I turned around to see my parents in the doorway. My mother ran at me and hugged me tightly.

"Hi, baby." She said, brushing my hair away from my face. Sat on the bed and kissed my forehead.

"Hey, sweetie. How do you feel?"

"I'm good. How are you guys?"

"Paranoid, now." Mom joked, giving me a small tap on the head. "What the_ hell_ were you thinking?"

"I didn't know he was going to appear. I thought he was dead! I wanted to see Sam to make sure."

"Why didn't you wait for us?" Dad asked.

"I don't know…I didn't think I was in danger. But I didn't want you guys involved…this was my thing."

Dad smiled faintly. Mom rolled her eyes and smacked my shoulder lightly.

"Renesme Carlie Cullen, I did _not_ raise you to be stupid enough to go off in the forest to get beaten to a pulp by a starved vampire!"

Jacob laughed dryly. Mom shot him a death stare.

"What? Oh, please, Bells. You should be talking." She turned his head away with her palm, and he chuckled again. I giggled, but was cut off in the middle by a gigantic yawn.

Dad laughed and ruffled my hair.

"Ok, time for you to sleep, now."

"Eh? What? But she _just_ woke up!" Jake protested. He raised his hands towards Dad as if to grab his hands, but then thought better of it when Dad widened his eyes weirdly, and turned towards Mom instead. "Pweeeease?" He pleaded. Dad's lips were twitching up, and Mom looked half amused, half scared.

"You can stay if you want, but she's drugged. I doubt she'll be great company."

"Hey…!" I mumbled, half asleep.

"See?" Mom laughed. Jake grumbled and slumped next to me, arms crossed. Dad jumped off the bed right before Jake landed and almost tripped on the rug. He straightened up and put his hands on Mom's shoulders. She bent across to kiss my cheek, and then got up and went to the door, biding me good night. Dad hesitated before getting out, and turned to us. He looked amused and uncomfortable at the same time. He cleared his throat.

"Remember, I can hear your thoughts." He widened his eyes at Jacob and smiled at me.

"EDWARD!" I heard Mom shout, laughing.

I sighed and threw a pillow at my father's head. He caught it. Damn.

"Get out, Dad." I chuckled. Jacob waved at him before he left and closed the door. Half a second later, he came back and opened the door a bit.

"DAD!"

"Okay, fine! Sorry." He closed the door again.

Laughing, I snuggled close to Jake. He closed his arms on me.

"It's your turn to cuddle me to sleep…" I mumbled, eyes closing. He chuckled once and brushed his hand on my cheek.

"Any time." He whispered in my ear.

I slumbered into deep sleep, finally safe.


End file.
